BMW of North America and Nvidia have announced a partnership that puts Nvidia's GPUs in navigation and vehicle-information systems across all next-generation BMW cars worldwide. Meanwhile, Nvidia's Tegra processor has also landed orders from Tesla for its in-car systems.Nvidia GPUs will power BMW's in-car navigation systems to deliver graphics with detailed terrain models, landmarks and a new interface. Nvidia processors will be found throughout BMW's range of models, including the 7-series, 5-series, 3-series, Mini Cooper line and X-series of sports activity vehicles.BMW's iDrive will feature high-resolution visuals, real-time traffic reporting and navigation information. iDrive is the intelligent control concept that makes it intuitively simple to use a BMW's in-car features, Nvidia said. Its ability to clearly show the most relevant details and make anticipatory decisions to assist the driver will allow BMW owners to drive more safely and focus on the joy of driving.Nvidia also announced that its Tegra processors will power the infotainment, navigation and instrument-cluster systems in the Tesla Model S, the first sedan built from the ground up as an electric vehicle. Its infotainment system features a 17-inch touch-screen center console providing vivid 3D graphics.The Tegra processor provides exceptional energy efficiency, a critically important feature for electric cars, Nvidia said. One processor will be used to power the infotainment and navigation systems, and another for the instrument cluster, which features an ultra high-resolution, driver-friendly 12.3-inch LCD display to provide data about the vehicle in 3D graphics.Nvidia Tegra-based Tesla 17-inch infotainment systemPhoto: Company

Intel has introduced its second-generation Intel Core processor family at a press conference at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2011. Intel highlighted several new features, services and partnerships that combine to deliver a new visual experience with processor graphics built in. More than 500 desktop and notebook PCs are expected from all major brand vendors worldwide throughout the next year, the vendor said.New features include Intel Insider, Intel Quick Sync Video, and a new version of the company's Intel Wireless Display (WiDi), which now adds 1080p HD and content protection for those wishing to beam premium HD content from their notebook screen to their TV. The company also revealed working with CinemaNow, Dixons Retail plc, Hungama Digital Media Entertainment, Image Entertainment, Sonic Solutions, Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment, and Warner Bros Digital Distribution.The second-generation Intel Core processor family is the first visibly smart microarchitecture to combine visual and 3D graphics technology with performance-leading microprocessors on a single chip, the company said. Incorporating the newly architected Intel HD graphics on each 32nm die enables significant graphics performance improvements over previous-generation graphics for both HD media processing and mainstream gaming. The chips improve performance and yet still offer great battery life and the ability to design thinner, lighter and more innovative notebook and all-in-one PCs.New processor graphics technology will focus on the areas where most people are computing today: high-definition (HD) video, photos, mainstream gaming, multi-tasking and online socializing and multimedia. Enhanced visual technologies such as next-generation Intel HD graphics are built into every second-generation Intel Core processor. For consumers, this means improved PC experience, with better overall power management, greater efficiency and great battery life, Intel said.Additionally, a new feature of the next-generation PC and notebook processors, Intel Insider, will give consumers access to movies on their PCs in full high-definition that were not available before.Warner Home Entertainment Group president Kevin Tsujihara explained that Warner Bros sees the PC as one of the most broadly available and versatile platforms for delivering premium digital entertainment, and now that Intel has made it more secure, the company is able to provide new releases and popular catalog titles in full HD to the PC through its WBShop storefront and from partners like CinemaNow on the same day as DVD and Blu-ray releases.Building upon this Intel Insider innovation, Eden then showed how consumers can now also use Intel WiDi 2.0 to beam content to their big-screen HDTVs. Additional Intel WiDi 2.0 improvements include support for 1080p HD as well as protected content either streaming from the Internet or played locally from a Blu-ray or DVD player.Another element of the visual experience built into the second-generation Intel Core processor family is Intel Quick Sync Video. This built-in hardware acceleration takes the wait out of editing and sharing videos with astonishing performance that completes in minutes what used to take hours, Intel said. Intel estimated that a 4-minute HD video that used to take four minutes to convert to play on an iPod would now take just 16 seconds.The Intel Core i3, i5 and i7 processors also include the enhanced Intel Turbo Boost Technology 2.0. This feature automatically reallocates processor core and processor graphics resources to accelerate performance, giving users an immediate performance boost when and where it is needed.Other new chip features include Intel Advanced Vector Extensions (AVX), Intel InTru 3-D, and Intel Clear Video Technology HD. Intel InTru 3-D enables immersive stereoscopic 3D to 3D-capable HDTVs or monitors via HDMI 1.4.Intel AVX increases performance for such demanding visual applications as audio processing and professional video image editing such as stitching together multiple photographs. Intel Clear Video improves the visual quality and color fidelity during video playback for a spectacular screen experience.The chips are made on Intel's 32nm manufacturing process on the company's second-generation high-k metal gate transistors. These unique advantages further boost performance, reduce power consumption for better battery life and smaller designs, and lower overall manufacturing costs, it said.Intel announced more than 20 processors, wireless adapters and chipsets, including new Intel Core i7, i5 and i3 processors, Intel 6 series chipsets, and Intel Centrino WiFi and WiMAX adapters.The quad-core-based systems will be available on January 9 with additional dual-core versions in February.Intel new Sandy Bridge-based Core processorPhoto: Company

Ubicom, a leading networked CPU provider, and wired and wireless solution provider Ralink Technology have jointly announced general availability of turnkey reference designs for several consumer multimedia products. These turnkey reference designs combine Ubicom's networking and advanced multimedia capabilities of the IP7500 family of 32-bit processors, and Ralink's Wi-Fi expertise through its RT3070 802.11-b/g/n chipset. Ubicom and Ralink will be demonstrating these solutions at their respective suites at CES 2011.The Ubicom-Ralink Wi-Fi DLNA audio player solution delivers consumer electronics manufacturers a turnkey hardware and software solution enabling the quickest time to market for DLNA-compliant wireless audio products, they claimed. The design is targeted at a wide range of products including AVRs, mini-micro systems, wireless audio clients, iPod docks, and wireless speakers. Ubicom's software platform is pre-certified for DLNA 1.5, UPnP and Microsoft's Windows 7 ecosystem, and the Ralink WiFi module is Wi-Fi Alliance certified for WPA, WPA2, WMM, WMM-PS and WPS.The Ubicom-Ralink Internet Audio Player Reference Design enables customers to rapidly add streaming audio capability to existing products or develop tabletop internet radio products. Thousands of radio stations and internet-based music services such as Pandora, Shoutcast and Aupeo are accessible through the reference design, they said. Multimedia content can also be accessed automatically through the platform's DLNA media client and via local storage, and it can be combined with other media sources such as iPod, iPhone or iPad, as well as FM radio into a single product.

Seoul, Korea (Jan. 5, 2011) − LG Display, a leading innovator of TFT-LCD technology, showcased its film patterned retarder (FPR, polarized glasses type) 3D panel at a kickoff press conference in Las Vegas, during media day of the 2011 Consumer Electronics Show (CES)."Whereas first generation shutter glass technology introduced us to the possibility of 3D TV, next generation FPR makes 3D practical for mainstream use," remarked LG Display CEO Kwon Young Soo. "FPR will effectively allow manufacturers to create an incredible quality 3D TV experience that is healthy, convenient and affordable − all factors hindering the popularity of first generation 3D products.Popularizing 3D TV for mainstream consumptionExisting shutter glass (SG) 3D technology has long been criticized for picture quality problems like flicker and cross talk, as well as bulky, battery-operated glasses. Given these issues, consumers have been reluctant to purchase more expensive SG 3D TVs over traditional 2D models.FPR technology, which eliminates all the problems associated with SG 3D, is expected to change consumer perception of 3D TVs from an 'expensive novelty' to a 'practical choice' for everyday viewing enjoyment.Already, global LCD TV companies including LG Electronics, Vizio, Philips and Toshiba as well as Chinese manufacturers including Skyworth, Konka, Hisense, Haier, Changhong and TCL have expressed strong interest in FPR 3D and developing TVs utilizing the technology.LG Display expects 3D TVs to capture over 10% of the global LCD TV market in 2011, which will be a total of 220 million sets including both 3D and 2D TVs. With FPR 3D panels, LG aims to obtain more than 70% share of the 3D TV LCD market in 2011, which would be between 15 million and 20 million units.FPR advancementsFPR delivers full HD picture quality, as well as creating a vivid, immersive 3D experience. FPR also does not produce flicker or crosstalk, both major criticisms of SG technology. Excessive flicker has been the source of complaints over eye fatigue and poor picture quality, as well as serious health concerns like photosensitive epilepsy.James Sheedy, director of Optometry Research Center at Pacific University in the US, commented concerning his comparison of SG and FPR, problems with the SG type panel included the weight of the glasses, power consumption and reduced brightness. However, LG Display's FPR 3D panel has no flickering, produces minimal cross talk and delivers a bright screen. Also, the glasses can be made with curved lenses, like regular glasses, so it is superior in terms of protecting eyesight.Different from the bulky, battery-powered glasses used by SG displays, LG Display's FPR utilizes lightweight and comfortable polarized glasses that emit no electromagnetic waves, allowing consumers to enjoy long hours of comfortable viewing. FPR clip-on shades are also available for prescription glass wearers, replacing the need to wear two sets of glasses with SG displays. Finally, whereas SG glasses severely restrict flexible head movement which cause the glasses to go dark, FPR allows users a fuller range of movement such as lying down on a sofa without losing 3D picture.FPR cost savingsFPR is based on Patterned Retarder (PR) technology, which although lauded for its picture quality was associated with high costs due to the need for extra polarizing glass substrate attached to the LCD TV panel. FPR replaces glass with film, which costs only 1/4th as much. Also, FPR glasses, expected to retail at the price that are about 5x less expensive than SG ones.Consumers are able to purchase FPR 3D TVs now in China, and soon in the US and Europe.LG Display to showcase its FPR 3D panel at CES 2011Photo: Company

Las Vegas - (Business Wire) - Samsung Mobile Display (SMD) will be demonstrating leading-edge, next generation AMOLED displays at Pepcom's The Digital Experience! press event during the Consumer Electronics Show, at the Caesars Palace Hotel on Wednesday, January 5 from 7 to 10pm.1. A 4.5-inch WVGA flexible AMOLED offering world's highest flexible display resolutionSMD is presenting a prototype of the most advanced flexible AMOLED display. Only 2mm thick, the 4.5 inch flexible AMOLED runs at a WVGA 800x480 resolution and can be rolled down to a one centimeter radius.At WVGA, this new concept prototype offers a display resolution four times that of the previous most flexible AMOLED prototype in the industry, thanks to the use of a new plastic substrate that can withstand the 450-500 degree temperatures required in the manufacturing process.Typically, flexible displays use plastic substrates instead of glass substrates because this helps the display become lighter and thinner. Furthermore, the new plastic substrates are not prone to breakage during manufacturing. Previously, plastic materials melted at temperatures over 400 degrees during the manufacturing process, making commercialization difficult.Development of the 4.5 inch flexible AMOLED prototype, designed for smart phone and tablet PC displays, is a major step on the road to mass production.2. A 19-inch qFHD transparent AMOLED for TVs and monitors: World's first large-screen transparent AMOLED production prototypeSMD is showing the world's first large transparent AMOLED Display prototype, designed for use in applications from PC monitors to TVs.Whether the prototype AMOLED display is turned off or on, it maintains up to a 30% transparency. The average amount of transparency elsewhere has been below 10%.SMD's transparent AMOLED prototype provides the highest resolution on a transparent large screen TV (over 19-inch) or monitor display.Uses may include searching the Internet while watching TV, or watching TV on windows, including car windows for backseat passengers.SMD will also be exhibiting a 14-inch qFHD transparent AMOLED for notebook PCs.

Las Vegas and Tokyo - (Business Wire) - Toshiba Corporation will invite visitors to the CES 2011 to experience how life can be "Fun and Easy by Leading Technology" with the company's latest advances in digital technologies and new products and services. (Toshiba booth: LVCC Central Hall Booth #11026)1. Display of 3D TVs without any need for dedicated glassesToshiba will unveil the future of 3D at CES: prototypes of large-screen LCD TVs – in 65-inch and 56-inch models – that deliver full 3D without the need for dedicated glasses.The company will also show how it has realized glasses-free 3D now, and display the world's first commercialized LCD TVs that do away with dedicated glasses. Already available in Japan, where they are winning a lot of attention, the "Glasses-less 3D Regza GL1" TVs are specifically designed for personal use and come in two versions, the 20-inch 20GL1 and the 12-inch 12GL1. The TVs employ an integral imaging system and perpendicular lenticular sheet to display smooth, natural images, while a wide viewing angle is secured by Toshiba's proprietary image processing technology that creates nine parallax images from the original content and then converts them to 3D. The overall result is precise rendering of high quality 3D images throughout the viewing zone.2. Bringing network services to TVs and PCsAs the world of computing develops cloud-based storage and services, Toshiba ensures that digital TVs, digital recorders, PCs and smartphones can make full use of this new level of interconnectivity. The CES display will feature forthcoming networked TVs that support diverse services, including Yahoo! Widgets, YouTube Leanback, and demonstrate TV and PC interconnectivity using Skype.3. PCsToshiba will demonstrate concept models of glasses-free 3D notebook PCs and of tablet PCs running the Android and Windows operating systems.4. Environmental ActivitiesIn seeking to become one of the world's foremost eco-companies, Toshiba Group promotes three green initiatives: greening of process, greening of products and greening by technology. The company will introduce environmentally conscious business activities, products and technology in these three categories. The greening of process area introduces the activities of MRM, a leading provider of TV recycling management services to manufacturers, jointly operated by Panasonic Corporation of North America, Sharp Electronics Corporation and Toshiba America Information Systems. The greening of products area features environmentally conscious products, including LEDs, PCs, TVs and air-conditioners. The greening by technology area showcases Toshiba's environmental technologies including know-how in smartgrids, photovoltaic power generation and home energy management system (HEMS), all of which will contribute to the achievement and management of low-carbon society.

Micron Technology has unveiled a new portfolio of solid-state drives (SSD) for the fast-growing flash-based notebook market. Dubbed RealSSD C400, the new series is the first SSD product line to incorporate Micron's 25nm NAND flash technology, creating a broad portfolio of capacities ranging from 64GB to 512GB. The drives will be available in 1.8-inch and 2.5-inch form factors.As with its predecessor, the new RealSSD C400 also supports the SATA 6Gb/s interface, which opens up the data path between the host processor and the SSD delivering improved overall system responsiveness including faster boot times and speedier application loads. The new drives reach read speeds up to 415MB/s, which is 17% faster than Micron's previous generation drives. With write performance varying by capacity, the new 512GB drive achieves up to 260MB/s write speeds, which is more than 20% faster than the fastest C300 drive.Micron said it is currently working with notebook manufacturers to qualify the new RealSSD drives under the C400 product name. With samples of the RealSSD C400 drives available now, the company expects mass production to begin in February.Bringing the drives to business customers and consumers, Crucial, a division of Micron, will begin selling the portfolio under the name, m4 SSD. The Crucial m4 SSD product line is expected to be available online and through select global channel partners in the first quarter of 2011."SSDs are bringing excitement back into personal computing," said Dean Klein, vice president of memory system development at Micron. "Micron is accelerating this enthusiasm with our new RealSSD portfolio, providing even greater performance and higher capacities than our previous generation SSDs."Micron RealSSD C400Photo: Company

Chicago - (Business wire) - NEC Display Solutions of America, a leading provider of commercial LCD display and projector solutions, announced today the 23-inch MultiSync EA232WMi, a 16:9 model designed for corporate, financial, healthcare, engineering, CAD and other professional applications.Replacing the popular MultiSync EA231WMi, the new MultiSync EA232WMi maintains an IPS panel for superior color, viewing angles and image quality. Additionally, it adds LED-backlit technology, which provides more energy efficiency and less power consumption, heat and carbon dioxide emissions. The display's ambient light sensor and ECO Mode can further help save energy and prolong product life."The MultiSync EA232WMi provides our elite IT customers with several improvements over its predecessor," said Lynn Gu, product manager for NEC Display Solutions. "Its LED backlight and mercury-free composition make it greener, and it is lighter in weight, consumes less power and is a recipient of TCO 5.1, the newest TCO compliance rating. We work diligently to develop products that operate hand-in-hand with users, and the ergonomics, technologies and energy efficiency built into the MultiSync EA Series accomplish that objective."The MultiSync EA232WMi includes the following features:23-inch, 16:9, IPS panel with LED backlighting1,920x1,080 Full HD25,000:1 dynamic contrast ratioAdvanced connectivity with DisplayPort, DVI-I and VGAFully adjustable stand with 110mm height-adjust, tilt, swivel and pivotIntegrated 4-port USB 2.0 hubSpace-saving, down-firing speakers with audio jackAmbient light sensor, ECO Mode, carbon footprint meter and cost meterEnergy Star 5.0 and TCO 5.1 compliantEPEAT GoldThe MultiSync EA232WMi ships with a 3-year limited parts and labor warranty and will be available in January 2011 at an estimated street price of US$299.NEC MultiSync EA series 23-inch LCD monitor, the EA232WMiPhoto: Company

Samsung Electronics has completed development of what it claims is the industry's first DDR4 DRAM module, using 30nm-class process technology.The new DDR4 DRAM module can achieve data transfer rates of 2.133 gigabits per second (Gbps) at 1.2V, compared to 1.35V and 1.5V DDR3 DRAM at an equivalent 30nm-class process technology, with speeds of up to 1.6Gbps. When applied to a notebook, it reduces power consumption by 40% compared to a 1.5V DDR3 module.The Samsung DDR4 makes use of a new technology dubbed "pseudo open drain (POD)," which has been adapted to high-performance graphic DRAM to allow DDR4 DRAM to consume just half the electric current of DDR3 when reading and writing data.By employing new circuit architecture, Samsung's DDR4 will be able to run from 1.6Gbps up to 3.2Gbps, compared to today's typical speeds of 1.6Gbps for DDR3 and 800Mbps for DDR2.Samsung revealed that in late December, it provided 1.2V 2GB DDR4 unbuffered dual in-line memory modules (UDIMM) to a controller maker for testing. The company now plans to work closely with a number of server makers to help insure completion of JEDEC standardization of DDR4 technologies in the second half of 2011.Samsung claimed it has been leading the advancement of DRAM technology ever since it developed the industry's first DDR DRAM in 1997. In 2001, the company introduced the first DDR2 DRAM and in 2005, it announced the first DDR3 DRAM using 80nm-class technology.Samsung 30nm DDR4 modulePhoto: Company

Seoul, Dec. 27, 2010 - LG Electronics will unveil the 72-inch LZ9700, the world's largest Full LED-backlight LCD 3D TV (FULL LED 3D TV) at CES 2011 in Las Vegas. The LZ9700 gives viewers life-sized action in both 2D and 3D.Fitted with LG's full LED technology, the LZ9700 is illuminated by a full panel of LEDs directly behind the screen. The full LED screen size also makes the picture more expansive, enabling viewers to experience picture quality with detailed images as big as, or larger than, real life, the vendor said.The LZ9700's 3D takes on added depth and draws viewers even further into its immersive viewing experience. In addition, TruMotion 400Hz delivers a fast processing rate for smooth 3D images, the vendor added."The LZ9700 combines the ultimate in LG's picture quality with our latest developments in 3D TV," said Havis Kwon, president and CEO of LG home entertainment company. "With the LZ9700, LG is poised to take the lead in the TV market with the world's largest full LED screen that delivers a truly outstanding TV viewing experience."This TV is also fitted with LG's Smart TV functions. Via a simple Home Dashboard, this smart TV delivers premium content from global providers as well as the locally sourced shows and movies. It also provides access to LG's collection of TV apps. And thanks to LG's Magic Motion Remote Control, the LZ9700's functions are simple to find and operate, the vendor said.The LZ9700 will be available to customers early 2011; additional details to follow in local markets.Main features:Full LED-backlight LCD 3D TV72-inch classTruMotion 400HzMicro Pixel Control (Local Dimming)Smart TVMagic Motion Remote ControlSmart share (DLNA, Media Link, USB, etc.)LG full LED 3D TV, the LZ9700Photo: Company